Bravado
by IvyXLacrimosa
Summary: Their past is darker than you'd expect . Too many secrets were woven between them, and by the end of their Middle School careers, the Generation of Miracles could barely even look at each other, yet they could only trust each other . One by one they'll shatter, and pick up the pieces once again . •Slight-AR / No-Pairing / Serious-Fic •
1. Chapter 1: Remnants of a Phantom

**_Bravado_**

**_Angst / Tragedy / Friendship / Hurt/Comfort / Humor / Drama_**

**_NO PAIRINGS_**

**A/N:** I have absolutely no idea where this came from. Seriously, what is wrong with me? Anyway, just wanted to point out that this is going to be a serious fic, centered around a GoM with a darker past than you're given in the Manga. Other than hints of obvious pairings and multiple pairings [MidoTaka anyone? I mean seriously, it's practically canon!] this story will be without pairings. Just fluff. And angst. And drama. And seriousness. Lots of seriousness.

Enjoy!~

**Disclaimer: **If you think I own Kuroko no Basket, you're delusional. Although owning Kuroko and Kise and Akashi wouldn't be that bad…

* * *

**Chapter One**

**_Remnants of a Phantom_**

* * *

Leaning back in her chair tiredly, Aida Riko wiped at her forehead with a small smile on her face. In front of her, a stack of papers—application forms—were bright and cleanly filled out. The warmth of the day was starting to dwindle, signaling the coming start of the first basketball practice of the year. So her thoughts really weren't on the cleaning she had to do before she was allowed to go to the basketball clubs gym.

Her thoughts were on basketball, first-years, and the opponents they'd likely have to face at one point or another.

When the things for her booth had been collected and put away, minus the table that would be left for student council to deal with, she started her walk toward the gymnasium.

"I was hoping for one or two more first-years," she admitted idly to herself as she walked, flipping through the stacks and putting names to faces. Some were average, some rather sad, and some held potential, even without her properly analyzing them. Excitement bubbled in her, and her smile widened as she thought of the drills they'd be able to do with more members.

There was no title to describe Riko in that moment other than _Devil Coach_. It was actually quite fitting however well put together and correct her way of training was; her generally unforgiving nature made the title stick, whether she liked it or not.

Her walk was sidetracked by her missing whistle, but it was quickly found after she dug through her bag a second time, smashed up against the wall of her bag. She drew the pink whistle out from under papers and books, pulling it over her head to let it rest around her neck.

It was after she closed her bag that she paused though, something odd being brought forth in her thoughts. Her bright smile twisted down into a confused frown, and Riko turned, looking around the campus of Seirin High School.

"Odd," she mumbled, "I could have sworn someone else was here. I could hear footsteps." When her inquisitive eyes found no other students though, she shrugged it off and continued on her way to the basketball clubs gym, humming merrily under her breath. The closing of the library door behind her was silent and went on unobserved.

The rest of her day proceeded normally, if anything at Seirin could be called normal. Incoming players were shocked at the fact that a second-year _girl _was their coach, Hyuga attempted to answer questions before Riko caught on, Riko caught on anyway, and Izuki continuously muttered puns involving chickens whenever the terrified first-years fouled during a drill, or sputtered under her gaze.

Most unusual though was the tallest player on the court, the recent returnee from America, Kagami Taiga, who, while bustling with intensity, claimed basketball in Japan was no big deal. Riko's brows twitched at that, and Hyuga gave the redhead a scathing glance as he polished his glasses with a clean towel. Both refrained from saying anything, because they all knew he'd learn soon enough what Japan could really offer in terms of basketball.

None of the second-years seemed shocked—or too shocked anyway—when Riko then announced that Kagami would eat his words later on. In the back of their minds, the faces of an illustrious group of players hovered, but there were only five of them, and those threats were far off. Several months of work stood between them and that challenge.

Eventually, Kagami and the other first years—the terrified and rather skittish trio of Furihata, Kawahara, and Fukuda—became official members of the club. This, like most other things Seirin seems to do, goes about loudly and lively.

After all, shouting out intentions from the roof on a _Monday _no less is bound to get you some attention. It only added to the shock when Kagami nearly fell off the top of the school in the process of shouting his goals, because of the teachers that had come after them had slammed the door open. The crowd below had whispered and anxiously watched, though many were thankful for the intrusion.

Riko was pleased despite the fact that they'd been banned from the rooftop—_again_—and was happy to begin the search for potential practice match schools. After they were in good enough shape of course.

The next few weeks proceeded easily as the remaining four first years—Kagami included—became acquainted with the basketball team and its devil coach. Training regimens were created, doubled, cut down, and edited, practice games were held between the players, and the conditioning they did was slowly getting easier to complete. The promise of a true practice match hovering over their heads made them eager and energetic, or at least more focused.

Kagami was so tired that he couldn't even bring himself to notice when the teacher roll-called every morning in his first class. His eyes were always too heavy and his thoughts always on basketball, and every once in a while it would be his grumbling stomach that brought the distraction.

Either way, it was still inevitable that when the repeated call of 'Kuroko-kun?' drifted to his ears, he was not paying attention. Even when the empty space behind him seemed to respond, and his classmates fidgeted with wide-eyes, he was oblivious. Kagami was dreaming of basketball and lunch, both of which were several hours away.

Rumors of the ghost boy in class 1-B drifted cautiously around, some rather exaggerated horror stories, others whimsical tales so ridiculous you couldn't help but laugh. Groups of friends investigated the phenomenon that was the phantom, yet always came up short.

It even became a common topic during practice, after several weeks. Koganei was excitedly prying Kagami for information while Izuki, Mitobe and Hyuga listened half-heartedly. It was during one of their breaks, just after warm-ups, and without Riko around, they had all relaxed just slightly. She'd apparently gone to schedule a legitimate practice match against another high school, and everyone was buzzing with anticipation.

"But the stories say that he sits right behind you!" The rather enthusiastic Koganei repeated to Kagami, who appeared to be thinking deeply in confusion as he took a drink of his water bottle. The redhead's heavy brows furrowed as he thought, bewilderment evident in his face.

"No one sits behind me," Kagami answered, setting down the bottle and wiping at his face. "No one has sat behind me all year." He looked down at the second-year with a serious and still rather confused expression.

Koganei pouted, cat-like expression becoming displeased and disappointed. "That isn't very fun at all! I was expected you to tell the best story yet!" Mitobe sighed quietly next to his best friend, shaking his head a little. "You were supposed to tell us his backstory, how he died, and why he chose to sit behind _you _of all people! You don't appreciate the value of a ghost at all!"

"Maybe _Bakagami's_ head is just blocking a normal sized person," a new voice, terrifyingly cheerful, imputed off to the side. The closing of the gym door sounded, but they didn't seem to notice the fact that someone new had interrupted the conversation.

A snort escaped Seirin's captain, and Hyuga placed his glasses back on his face, and he joined in on the conversation. "That wouldn't surprise me. Even if there isn't much in their besides basketball, so his head's basically empty," he pointed at Kagami's head and ignored the underclassman's offended shout. By now they'd all cooled down a bit, and had caught their breaths, the conversation becoming more fluid and less choppy.

Rather than tack on some typical pun (likely involving Kagami's intelligence or ghosts) Izuki seemed to pale drastically and sputtered a little. The unusual behavior from the cool-headed point guard caught their attention, and they gave him odd looks. He pointed behind Hyuga, gray eyes wide.

It was then that the killing intent in the air intensified, making chills creep up their spine and goosebumps spread across their skin. One by one they turned, and Hyuga was the last to do so, fear stalling his movements.

What he saw made him flinch violently. Aida Riko stood with her clipboard in hand and whistle between her lips. A dangerous smile spread across her face and she titled her head to the side in an illusion of innocence. Hyuga went to take a step back, but before he could, an eardrum shattering whistle echoed through the gym, making the rest of the team stall in their actions and turn to observe what was going on.

The pink monstrosity fell from Riko's lips, jangling merrily as it bounced on her collarbones, and her smile brightened as Hyuga clutched at his left ear in agony. "Since you all so _patiently_ waited for me, I might as well talk to you about our practice match now. We can double your training to make up for it," she waved her hand dismissively, laughing a little as every player paled.

Still, curiousity got the better of them, and they slowly gathered around the brunette as she hummed under her breath. Once they'd all gathered around her, Riko beamed at them silently, causing irritation in some cases, and more curiosity in others.

Inhaling deeply through her nose, the coach of Seirin let her smile widen as she tucked her clipboard under her arm. "I have a practice match scheduled at the end of this week," she informed them, brown eyes sparkling with mirth and excitement.

It spread contagiously, bringing forth renewed energy, twitching, and nerves. It wasn't long before every member of the team was conversing about the idea of playing in an actual match, and gestures and expressions changed rapidly.

When Riko opened her mouth to say something, she was interrupted by loud laughter, and by the looks of a certain redhead's drooping shoulders, it was at his expense. Irritation overruled her enthusiasm, and Riko cleared her throat, hand reaching for her whistle.

Right before she released an ear shattering whistle which would likely echo through the gym rather spectacularly, Hyuga spotted her and hurriedly got the groups attention, eye on her the whole time. Riko smiled again, letting the whistle fall from her lips, sometimes, it was good to have them fear her.

"As I was saying," she continued brightly, and their expression paled. Riko almost laughed, they knew her so well already. "Next week, we have a practice match against Kaijou High, and we'll be training extra hard for the remainder of the week to prepare!"

Groans simultaneously answered her, and the first-years looked tired at the thought of more work. The second-years however tensed in shock, eyes widening slightly as they realized what the words she said really meant.

"Kaijou High," Hyuga echoed in disbelief, and the first-years turned to study their teammates closely, brows furrowed and lips downturned in confusion. Kagami was the only one who didn't seem to care, though he still watched with blank curiousity as he twirled a ball around in his hands.

Riko smiled that smile that more of a smirk, and it was already deeply feared by the other team. They faltered, and dread could be seen filling the faces of the whole team now was slight understanding dawned on them. "Kaijou High," Riko began reciting, holding a finger up as she closed her eyes, "A national level team, who just recently required one of the infamous 'Generation of Miracle's'."

Once again, a mix of reactions were garnered from her statement. There were gasps of immense shock, horrified and awed murmurs, and, as always, the loudest of them all, a confused huff from Kagami. Eyes turned to him as his expression became confused, and they all looked at him in disapproving disbelief.

"Oh!" Koganei was the first to realize what was going on, and brightened in an energetic way that only he could do. Pushing around Mitobe who politely moved aside, he stared up at Kagami. "You don't know anything about Japan's basketball, do you?"

The redhead frowned, stubborn irritation on his face. "It's not like I've been back in Japan for that long," he grumbled, "Besides, I doubt it compares to anything in America."

And so, one of the first, and definitely the longest, lessons about the Generation of Miracles began.

* * *

Kagami was lucky in multiple ways that he just wasn't aware of yet. One of the most blaringly overlooked and obvious however, was his love of the Maji Burger near his apartment. He was also lucky in the fact that his appetite didn't affect his physique _at all_, a fact that while has nothing to do with anything, is also very enviable.

For once, Kagami wasn't sure of what tomorrow's practice, or even next week's match, would bring. This brought on an even larger than normal pile of burgers, and, since he'd only been in the Maji burger once or twice—even though he already claimed undying love for the place—he had intimidated quite a few of the restaurants customers.

As always, he was oblivious.

Practice had ended unusually early, as several of the second-years had something to attend to, and Riko had declared that she needed time to come up with the proper training regimen for the rest of the week. He reacted in an unconcerned manner, after all, basketball was basketball, and if more sprints was the price to pay for said basketball, he would oblige.

That didn't mean, by any means, that he'd arrived at the Maji Burger during the dinner rush, it was more like he hit the tail end of it and only got shocked and horrified looks as people walked by him on their way out. The view of the city at night was interesting enough for him to ignore them though, and his thoughts were occupying him completely.

The Generation of Miracles, an unrivaled and unbeaten team in their Middle School years, with three consecutive National wins under their belts. The same age as him, in schools he was playing against. The thought was rather exciting, and he grinned around a mouthful of burger.

He still didn't quite believe the story entirely, but Hyuga said he would be convinced soon enough. The words genius, prodigy, and amazing were thrown around, and Kagami's incredulousness was slowly being whittled down into anxious anticipation.

So when he left the restaurant, after finishing a mound of burgers weighing about a fifth of his body mass, he failed to realize many things.

The first thing he failed to realize is what he bumped into as he moved to throw away his wrappers and set his tray in the accumulating pile near the door, and that it was not in fact a wayward chair or table corner.

The second thing he failed to realize was that the drink spilled near his table wasn't just any old drink spilled by an unruly customer.

The third was that he was muttering under his breath about things like basketball, Kaijou, and, loudest of all, the Generation of Miracles.

The final thing he failed to realize in that span of about five seconds was once again how truly lucky he was.

His luck would be questioned in the near future though.

* * *

"I know, I know," a male voice placated, with a high pitched sort of whining tone that betrayed their irritation. A frown curled full lips, and a golden brow furrowed in a childish pout. "But Momoicchi," the blond boy whined, holding the phone away from his ear as a shout rang out.

Kise Ryouta sat on a bench in a park near his house. He'd left practice early, he'd had a photo-shoot after all, and his mother and sister were getting him more and more work since he'd entered high school. Though he was in his uniform now, long since finished with his modeling work, the shirt was rumpled and his tie was loose, as if he'd fallen asleep. For once, he actually had, but only from stress, and fatigue.

First Kasamatsu had chastened him for skipping practice—before their first practice match no less!—but even their coach, a rather overweight man named Takeuchi, let Kise leave without a fuss. Yet now, about three hours later, he's getting chastened for something he doesn't even know about.

The sleepy blond pulled at his wrinkled uniform in dismay, putting the phone between his shoulder and ear as he grabs his jacket from where it was draped across the bench. "Momoicchi, slow down," he pleaded, pulling his arm through the first sleeve and transferring the phone so he could finish putting the clean and pristine jacket on.

An angry huff followed his request and Kise frowned, straightening his tie absentmindedly. He hadn't spoken to his old basketball manager, Momoi Satsuki, in several months, not since he'd graduated at Teikou Middle School.

When silence was heard over the line, Kise pursed his lips and tried to coax her into saying something that wasn't unintelligible screaming. "Is there something wrong, Momoicchi?" He asked quietly, listening intently, as the breathing from the girl turned shaky. He paled, since with girls, that was never a good sign.

"Why didn't you tell me, Ki-chan?" She whimpered, sounding heartbroken as sobbing gasps reached his ears. The confused boy began to panic, thinking he'd done something to upset her, which would set Aomine off, and probably Akashi too, if he ever found out.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied quickly, honestly too, but he wasn't sure if she could tell, since her crying drowned out everything else. Kise winced, Momoi had always been a messy crier, red eyes and wet nose, the image drew another panicked shiver and worried frown from the model.

"Why didn't you tell me about Kuroko-kun?" She wailed, and Kise could hear her throwing things as she yelled at him, growing more and more like a wild bird by the second. There were no words, just shrieks of disbelief, but this time, Kise didn't hear her.

Kuroko.

The name had him fumbling for his cellphone as he nearly dropped it, and the breeze around him felt just a little bit colder. Errant thoughts, regrets, and things that Kise had grown up with danced around his head, and his fingers ached as he forced them to pull the phone back up to his ear.

It had been several months, just as long as the time he'd been away from the rest of his old teammates, but without the closure. It was the sort of thing that haunted you in a way that was much subtler than most things.

Mostly because they—Kise included—were the only ones who could see Kuroko for what he was. But they'd betrayed him, broken him, pulled every bit of trust he'd had in them and ripped it so mercilessly apart that it wasn't surprising he'd left without a goodbye. No one else knew, and it was just another secret added onto the pile shared between the Generation of Miracles.

"What," Kise croaked suddenly, and Momoi's tirade was cut off by the blonde's earnest, genuine, desperate surprise. "What about Kurokocchi?"

Hope and panic and so many other things fluttered in him, crushed by that odd guilt once again.

Did he even have a right to call Kuroko that?

"I…" Momoi paused, sounding just as off balance as Kise was, and her tears seemed to recede into a shell-shocked girl. "I've been keeping tabs on all of you," she whispered, and Kise's eyes widened ever so slightly. "Akashi-kun asked me to, and… the other day he told me he knew where Kuroko had chosen to go to High School, and asked for me to check if… he was okay."

Her voice trailed off, so tiny, so feminine and fragile, so unlike Momoi that Kise swallowed unconsciously.

"And," he added for her staring off at nothing, eyes burning from being open so long. He wasn't sure if he wanted her to continue, but she _had _to.

It was about Kuroko after all.

"I… thought you knew," the pink haired manager murmured, voice cracking. "It's why I yelled at you, oh Ki-chan, I'm so sorry." Her regret and sincerity weren't overlooked by him, just pushed aside, for he had many more important things to think about.

Kuroko.

"What about Kurokocchi?" He snapped, getting angry, the lights of the dark city before him, like fireflies over the park's trees, took on a red hue, and Kise felt something he hadn't in months: fury. He had to find out what she was trying to tell him, and find Kuroko, track him down, apologize for…

All the things that were irreparable. In him, in Aomine, and Akashi and every single one of them, those things that brought them closer than basketball ever could, but were only anchored permanently by that sport that brought them to each other.

That fury in him fizzled into frustration, and then into despair, and Kise's shoulders slumped.

"When I found the name, Seirin, I dug around and found out they had a basketball club, and Ki-chan, you… you play them next week. You didn't know?" She whispered, "I was going to ask why you let your coach schedule a match against his school. I was just so _mad _though, that you'd do that to him… after…"

His_ school. Match. Kuroko. Seirin. Basketball. Kuroko. _His _school._

Kuroko.

He hung up, and Momoi didn't call back.


	2. Chapter 2: Inconclusive Guessing

**A/N: **You guys are awesome~ Reviewers especially! Even if you just say you like it or don't like it, it still means a lot to me!

**Caffeine-tolerant**: Thank you for your support, the writing's coming easy even if the time to do so does not, but I hope this meets your expectations!

**Saxima: **Haha, oops, didn't expect that reaction! MAYBE I was being a little melodramatic… Promise I'll continue to work hard~

Anyway, I think updates will be a once a week sort of thing. I'm shooting for every Sunday, but if I don't get it, I'll update every other week… Also, is it bad that I found coming up with horrible puns for this chapter so fun? Oh, and I know there are a lot of scene changes in this one, but I just didn't want to reiterate reactions you'd already knew would happen, even in this AR, especially since I have other drama to write about. Hope you don't mind~

* * *

**Chapter Two**

**_Inconclusive Guessing_**

* * *

Although he'd never admit to it out loud, or let it show, Kise Ryouta was so very _frustrated_. Years of modeling helped him keep a straight face, because after all, someone as pretty as him simply wasn't allowed to get frown lines, but he felt _stiff_.

He couldn't bring himself to call Momoi back, because he was just as stubborn as her, and wouldn't be the first to break the silence. A week had flown by, with sleep coming in sporadic bursts that were often in class—forcing him to borrow notes from his admires, albeit reluctantly—and basketball being a painful reminder of things he was simply trying to avoid.

Kise couldn't help but feel jumpy too, and it was because of his damn basketball captain. Kasamatsu Yukio managed to be quite intimidating despite his short stature, and Kise knew that Kasamatsu was also much more observant about things than anyone else on his team.

Captain knew, but he wouldn't pry. Kise was thankful for that, however unnerved he felt by the concerned stare sometimes following him.

His mother on the other hand was oblivious, and simply scolded him for his lack of attention at his modeling jobs. He was grateful for that, but his sister was such a nosy thing. It didn't help that she kept making comments about how his behavior was like when he'd finished at Teikou or right before he'd started basketball.

There were no reminders needed, as the blond reminded himself far too many times every day.

About three days ago, he'd skipped practice, knowing he'd be relentlessly bothered by Kasamatsu for it, but unable to stop his feet from carrying him off of his campus and onto another. He'd only made it three steps into the gates before he locked up.

Before him was the gate to the school that Kuroko now went to. Seirin High wasn't actually that far away, nor was it hard to find, and it was easy for Kise, since it had been all he could think about since his talk with Momoi.

Yet he couldn't make himself go any further. It was quiet, just after school would have gotten out and the students would already all be gone. Seirin was admirably clean and pristine, living up to its reputation as one of the best new schools.

Kise could only admire it for the longest time, daydreaming in the silence that filled the school grounds, a warm breeze pulling at his face comfortingly, as if sensing the longing in his thoughts. It tried to lure him into the grounds, and search for one of his closest friends.

His foot drifted forward.

The far off echoing sound coming from the school stopped him, its familiarity a comfort, stress causer, and memory inducer. A basketball being dribbled had many meaning to him, and although all three were being induced in him, more than anything, he was simply remembering.

So it was only right that all he could do was smile sadly at the gym on the campus of Seirin, where the merry shouts and squeaks and dribbles could still be heard, and lightly lay a hand on the gate as he turned to leave.

Smiling in apology—not the first and certainly not the last time he'd smile like that—Kise sighed.

"Sorry, Kuroko."

* * *

Hyuga's gaze was far to scrutinizing for Kagami's liking, but all he could do was fidget and stare the other way, pretending to not see the second-year's obvious staring. It was made easier with his height though, so all he had to do was lift his chin and act interested in something in the road ahead of them.

"Your eyes are red," Hyuga stated bluntly, loudly too, drawing the attention of the rest of the team. Each then stared in turn at the now uncomfortable and irritated Kagami, blinking at him like he was some weird child.

Riko just looked over her shoulder flippantly, raising a brow and shaking her head as she continued to lead them to Kaijou. "Kagami-kun's just like a child who can't sleep before a fieldtrip, that's just sad."

Kagami sputtered, hands clenching lightly into fists and eyebrows pushing together furiously as his tanned face flushed a light red. "I am not a child! I just couldn't wait to play today after all that talk about those dumb players from the Generation of Miracles!" He shouted at her defensively, frowning at Riko's back.

Izuki slowed to fall into step by Kagami, looking up at him. The point guard frowned, typical in his serious demeanor before he commented, "Most people find it so easy to sleep that they can do it with their eyes closed."

There was a long moment of silence as Kagami tripped over his feet. Hyuga snorted, rubbing as his forehead wirily. "That was a little bit better than usual, Izuki, still not that funny though." Despite his words, the three first years and Koganei were biting their lips and looking away, Izuki, know the reaction he'd gotten, merely shrugged.

"Honestly, you're all a bunch of morons," Riko muttered shaking her head; she scrubbed a hand through her short brown hair and nodded as she came to a stop. "We're here."

The group of boys' paused, looking up from their muttered conversations and pouting – that was Kagami—to look at what Riko had pointed a finger to. Kaijou High School stood before them, pristine, looming, and extremely large.

"Whoa," Furihata mumbled, eyes growing large as he came to a stop. The three first-years suddenly looked much smaller, and began to mutter nervously among themselves. The school really was much more impressive than Seirin; after all, it was a national level sports school, renowned across Japan for its programs.

Kagami itched absentmindedly at his chest, eyes lazy and half lidded even though they were still bloodshot. His head tilted to the side as he studied the school, and his face scrunched up as if his own thoughts confused him.

"Which way to the gym?" Hyuga asked as he wove his way to the front of the group to stand by Riko. When she didn't answer immediately, the dark haired boy turned to look down at her, only to see her lips pursed and a curled fist resting lightly under her nose. Her eyes flickered around as if looking for something. "Well?" Hyuga prodded, raising a brow as she lifted her shoulders in a shrug.

"I have no idea. I know it's a part of the main building, but other than that, I don't know." Her response was blunt, her expression nonchalant, and Hyuga took on a disbelieving deadpan look. The rest of the team's mouths dropped in disbelief, or became exasperated (minus Izuki and Mitobe, who rarely had any sort of expression) at their coach's ignorance.

Taking a few steps with that dangerous bounce in her step, Riko smiled over her shoulder. "Let's start looking," she suggested, and without another cue, the rest of the boys' followed, all watching her vigorous steps, which banged her bag against her side.

They didn't make it very far though, before a figure walking toward them raised a hand in a wave and then started toward them. Silent gasps of relief escaped Seirin as their devil coach stopped and waited for the newcomer to approach them, for with each step into the campus of Kaijou High School, Riko's bag had banged more and more angrily against her side.

When the boy stopped before them, it was a moment before anyone spoke. In Seirin's case, it was because they were studying him. About as tall as Hyuga, the dark haired boy had a rather unnervingly keen set of large gray eyes, framed by furrowed brows. His face was tilted into a slight frown, but it looked more intense and appraising than anything, enhanced by his loose, confident posture.

The dark haired boy broke the silence first, sighing and rubbing at the back of his neck as he set a hand on his hips. When he opened his eyes after a long blink, his lips turned up in an amiable sort of half smile, and he pulled distractedly at his blue warm-up shirt.

"We figured you'd get lost," he said lightly, wisely choosing to extend a polite hand to Riko, who looked pleasantly surprised before shaking it. "Kaijou's a bit of a maze. I'm here to take you to the gym, my name's Kasamatsu Yukio, I'm Kaijou's captain."

"Thank you for taking us into consideration, Kasamatsu-san," Riko responded brightly, smiling widely up at the boy who looked a bit uncomfortable at the attention. "I'm Aida Riko, Seirin's basketball coach."

Clearing his throat, the boy nodded at her respectfully. A moment of hesitant silence hung between them before Kasamatsu tilted his head toward the school. "This way," he murmured, before turning to walk back toward the school.

* * *

Despite the fact that Kise had been asked to not dress down for the practice match, he still sat patiently on the bench, hands folded together and eyes bowed as he thought about Seirin. Up above, leaning along the railing eagerly, was a horde of his fans, no doubt hoping that he'd look their way, but alas, he was far too absorbed in his own thoughts.

After being unable to even step foot within Seirin, Kise had done research. Nothing too deep, that would draw attention from his own teammates or even Momoi—who had that damn habit of knowing things people didn't want her too—from realizing what he was doing. Which meant he just looked them up on the internet, nothing too fancy, but enough to give him an idea of the team that played for Kuroko's school.

While not usually impressed with anything that wasn't either absolutely amazing or unusual and unique, Kise could honestly say he was intrigued by Seirin. Nothing outstanding, but as a first year school, to compete and make it to the level of Tokyo's three Kings was impressive. Kise admired impressive things.

So he daydreamed, where Kuroko would have determinedly played basketball with Seirin—who were all still blank faces in his head, as he hadn't met them—and Kise would have gotten to play _against_ Kuroko for the first time.

At least, it would have been the first time, but Kise doubted his daydreams would come true.

Still though, as the door to the gym opened, he couldn't help but flick his gaze over to it quickly, eyes unintentionally wide with hope as he watch Kasamatsu appear through the blindingly bright light first. The blonde's gaze clashed with his captain's for a moment, and Kasamatsu blinked at Kise as if surprised.

Kise couldn't hold his gaze, and turned to watch Seirin file into the gym, eyes flickering over the short brunette girl who walked in first, to a boy with a sharp gaze behind his glasses that met Kise's eyes, to the tallest of them, a redheaded boy whose intense frown and irritable expression seemed familiar somehow.

For a moment, there was hope blooming in Kise, making his chest expand with a deep and heavy breath as his eyes searched the crowd of players dressed in white, black, and red. Yet the longer he looked, the more Kise knew he would never see a head of blue hair among them.

Despite Kuroko's habit of disappearing and being unnoticeable, there was no chance he'd be on Seirin's basketball team.

As the group argued with Takeuchi about the fact that they were only using a half-court (a fact that Kise thought was necessary but also quite tasteless) the blond could feel a gaze on him, intense and unwavering. When Kise grew bored of his own thoughts, he glanced sideways, expression still one of amiable blankness.

That redhead was staring quite openly at him, and Kise almost smiled. Despite his pretty face, basketball status, and overall intimidating charisma, few people would so unabashedly look him right in the eyes, and that earn the redhead a few points in Kise's books.

It was a pleasant surprise then, when the tall, broad-shouldered boy proceeded to break away from the group and calmly make his way toward Kise. No one but Kise seemed to notice though, and as the frowning boy stopped before him, Kise felt himself smiling.

"You're Kise Ryouta?" He asked, dark eyes flicker over Kise's school uniform before narrowing back on Kise's own golden eyes.

"Yeah, that's me," Kise replied brightly, smiling wider up at the boy as he gripped the back of the bench with his hands, leaning back playfully. "I'm sorry, it's a little embarrassing, that everyone knows my name, but I don't know yours."

There was a pause, and the redhead replied, "Kagami Taiga."

Kise tilted his head, "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Kagami-kun." The blond waited for Kagami to leave, because, Kise really didn't expect anything else. People walked up to him and introduced themselves to him all the time. Honestly, he could barely remember the names of any of them.

So, once again, Kise was pleasantly surprised when the redhead spoke again.

"You're one of those Generation of Miracles guys, right?" Kagami asked, and Kise was taken aback at the question. He blinked once, and almost gaped openly, before he chuckled uncertainly.

"'One of those guys'?" Kise repeated incredulously, blinking again at the serious boy standing in front of him. "Have you never heard of the Generation of Miracles before?" It wasn't meant as an egotistical comment, though it was probably taken that way. It was just rare for anyone to not know them, so Kise was blatantly shocked.

The redhead shook his head, further cementing Kise's utter surprise, and informed the blond, "I've lived in America up until this year. Never really followed Japan's basketball," the comment was more of a scoff, and Kagami lifted a shoulder in a challenging shrug. "Are you guys really all that people keep saying you are?"

"That's a matter of opinion, Kagami-kun," Kise smiled, and as his gaze wandered, he noticed that a couple of the other players, from both Seirin and Kaijou, were watching curiously.

"You're not even wearing a uniform," Kagami stated, completely ignoring Kise's flippant comment. The redhead nodded his head toward Kise, indicating his half-done tie and gray slacks and jacket. Kise lifted a shoulder in a shrug, and Kagami's head tilted to the side. "So you're too good to player?" Kagami sneered, seeming unimpressed.

Kise threw his head back and laughed openly, and the echo drew the attention of the whole gym as the blond wiped at his eyes, smile dangerously bright and sharp. He was still chuckling when he stretched his arms over his head languidly, giving the Seirin player an amused smile. "Give me a reason to play, Kagami-kun. Be sure to make it worth my time, please."

After all, Kise was simply bored, and tired and frustrated, and maybe Kagami could distract him. If only for a little while, because that was all Kise could hope for: just a little distraction.

* * *

If one was to describe the game that happened between Kaijou and Seirin, it would anticlimactic, at least to those who were watching. Elaborating on that to anyone not on the two teams was near impossible though, because there were few words to describe the energy on that basketball court.

Those on Kaijou's side would subconsciously avoid Kise, because the boy was exuding an air filled with so much tension it was as if every shift of the blonde's muscles caused sparks to fly. Those on Seirin's side, while just a bit disappointed at their loss, were quietly pleased with how well they had done, and knew they'd get a rematch that would go in their favor. That was Seirin's plan at least.

It had taken about three minutes for Kise to be told to go change, and that was after Kaijou realized how steady Seirin played defense, and how explosive Kagami could be when given the opportunity. After all, it was hard not to notice when one of the goals was suddenly missing a hoop.

That had earned them quite the crowd, especially since everyone was anticipating Kise's arrival on the court.

The minute the blond stepped onto the court, things changed. The crowd grew louder, the air grew thicker with tension, and everything began to move faster.

It took several minutes for Seirin to regain their balance once Kise first displayed his skills, copying a rather impressive display of agility that Kagami had shown during one of his drives to the hoop. After that, things just kept getting faster, and faster.

At halftime, the crowd dwindled a little bit, and despite the fact that they were exhausted, something Riko cursed herself for not foreseeing, Seirin had kept Kaijou on their toes and were only behind by seven.

That exhaustion would continue to multiply as the second half went on.

Kise went from being a play maker to more of a looming threat in the second half, doing less but still forcing Kagami to guard him closely, leaving openings for other Kaijou players to work. Despite the fact that he wasn't much of a team player, Kise's mere presence on the court was too large a factor to ignore.

By the time the practice match was over, Seirin was down by eighteen points, and although to the crowd the gap seemed painfully large, both sides begrudgingly admitted it was a good match, and thanked each other easily.

Kise was the first to leave, his oddly dark mood creating an open path as even his fans simply moved out of the way for him. Kaijou watched with worry, but oblivious Seirin was merely curious. When Takeuchi asked about Kise, Kasamatsu merely shook his head and shrugged, saying that it was best left alone.

Seirin was in a much better mood than Kaijou, despite the fact that they had lost, and, it was because of what Kagami had said in the locker room before Riko could even start talking.

"I know it's kind of disappointing, losing and all," the redhead had said calmly, searching through his back as if he was having a normal conversation and didn't have all their attention on him. "But at least we know that if someone like that is out there, there will always be a challenge. Isn't that what this is all about? Winning despite challenges, despite how stupid the opponent is?"

They'd all snorted in amused disbelief at that, but the room had felt lighter and even Riko seemed less strict than usual as she talked about things they'd need to work on. There was nothing loud or undignified about the way Seirin left Kaijou that day, just solemn determination and newfound camaraderie.

Lucky for them, they weren't yet involved with the problems that revolved around the Generation of Miracles, so peace would last just a few weeks longer.

For others, it was already falling apart.

* * *

Kise sighed, leaning his head back against the wall of the school. He left the gym quicker than he'd have liked, but the moment he'd spotted _that person_ in the crowd, he felt nothing but subdued restlessness, and fled at the first opportunity.

Now it was nearing dusk, and if he didn't start heading home soon, his mother would worry. He had one problem to take care of first.

"Are you ever going to say anything, Midorimacchi?" Kise asked quietly, closing his eyes and trying his best to ignore the aching in his temples. The brick building behind him was radiating a soothing chill, but it was hard enough to keep him awake and grounded. Otherwise, there was a chance that he would fall asleep out there and get in trouble.

He didn't want any more trouble.

"That depends on how long you remain tight-lipped," Kise's companion quipped, lifting a hand from his crossed arms to push his black rimmed glasses up the bridge of his nose. Leaning against the wall several feet away, was Midorima Shintarō, the green haired shooting guard of the Generation of Miracles, and one of the people that Kise had the hardest time getting along with.

In the dusk light, the glint off the boy's glasses should have been terrifying, but, as always, all Kise could see was the tight bandages wrapped around nimble fingers. As much as the blond knew it bothered Midorima when he stared at his fingers, he couldn't help it.

"It goes both ways though, doesn't it, Midorimacchi?" Kise sang back, looking up at the sky and staring blankly at the clouds above. "If my team doesn't find out, I'm okay with that. I'm sure you're okay if your team doesn't find out either."

"That was not what I was referring too, imbecile," the curt boy sighed, shaking his head lightly as he lightly prodded the stuffed frog he had set down next to him with a toe. The little plushy rolled over, exposing its light colored, clean belly, imploring black eyes stared at Kise, and the blonde leaned forward, resting his chin on his knees as he watched Midorima mess with the toy.

Kise clucked his tongue. "That's prying into my personal life though," he whined, flicking a heavy gaze up to the green haired boy and pouting falsely. Midorima gave him a scathing look, and the blond sighed, scrubbing a hand through his hair.

"Is it wrong to wish that if things couldn't be any other way, that he would just blame us?" Kise finally asked voice shaky despite his normal expression. Midorima looked away, and didn't say anything, just waited for Kise to continue.

"I mean, it's not like he'll openly blame us for anything, it's just not how he is, but seeing that team, the one he _might have _played on, and thinking, _I might play him_ hurt more than _knowing _what he'll do. Even though I actually know he won't play with or against us again, I just keep hoping."

There was a long moment of silence, and when Midorima sighed, Kise looked up at him. The green haired boy wore a grim, regretful expression that Kise knew all too well. "What is it?" The blond asked.

"I too could be imagining things, but… for a moment," as he spoke, the tall boy leaned over and scooped up the frog toy that he'd been pushing around with his foot. When he straightened, he adjusted his glasses. "I believe that I saw him in the crowd, of course, he vanished right after that, but if I am correct, he did in fact come to watch the game."

Kise blinked up at the green haired boy in surprise, and quickly rose to his feet. His shocked expression melted into one of that damn hopefulness again and then back into one of hesitant pain. "It's not like he came to speak to us though."

Midorima blinked once at Kise, and then replied, "Isn't it also true that we're not openly making efforts to reconcile with him?"

Kise's face twisted for a moment, and then he grabbed his head with his hands. "Ah, Midorimacchi keeps saying big words. Makes my head hurt worse!"

The shooting guard sighed again. "Goodbye Kise," he said, and then turned and began to leave. As the rhythmic tapping of his feet filled the silence, Kise slowly dropped his hands from his head and frowned at Midorima's back.

"Isn't it also true that you could make and attempt to talk to Kurokocchi?" The blond asked quietly. Midorima faltered for half a second, and then continued on his way without replying or looking back at his former teammate.

Kise grimaced when the green haired boy disappeared, and picked up his back where it had slumped against the wall next to him. As the blond through the strap over his shoulder, a familiar buzz and vibration traveled to his ears and tickled his arm.

Opening his bag, Kise pulled out his phone, glanced at the screen, and pursed his lips as he answered.

"Hello?" Kise answered, shifting the shoulder strap of his bag so that it sat comfortably on his aching muscles. While the match hadn't been hard, it had still worn Kise out.

"Sorry mom, I was talking to someone and had my phone on silent. Didn't mean to ignore you," he apologized, beginning his walk home. "No I'm not home yet. Where are you?"

"Oh. Yeah I can make dinner for myself tonight. Yes I can call you when I get home," the blond responded, holding the phone between his shoulder and ear for a moment so he could fix the cuff of his shirt.

"A modeling job tomorrow? Why are you telling me this now?" Kise asked in confusion, the silent streets echoing his words back to him as he headed toward his bus stop. "Oh, you're working? Then, yeah I can get there myself."

While his voice was animated, the blonde's eyes were far off, seeing nothing and not quite into the conversation. "I'm not a child mom, of course I can find my way there. I've been there like five times for photo-shoots." Kise's voice rose to a whine, something many would be familiar with. But now his eyes were focused, bright and intent on the conversation, and to any stranger looking at him, he would appear to be thinking intensely.

"Yeah, I'll call you when I get home. Love you. Bye." The blond flipped his phone shut to end the call, and tucked his phone back into his back as he continued to walk. A frown graced his lips as he continued on, and he shook his head as he came to a stop at the bus stop.

"I'm not a child."

It was more of a reassurance than a complaint.


	3. Chapter 3: The Most Fake Smile

**A/N: **Love you guys, I really, really do 3

Oh, and last chapter is probably the _least_ in depth I'll ever go for a match, since I know you're all waiting for Tetsu-kun to make his grand appearance… though it's really not all that grand… and this chapter is more about Kise than Kuroko, though this _is _the chapter where Kuroko appears in the flesh.

_Italics= _Flashback. Get it? Got it? Good.

* * *

**Chapter Three**

**_The Most Fake Smile_**

* * *

_To anyone else, the winter weather at Nationals would be unrelenting and miserable. The basketball players themselves though were an exception, wearing loose warm up pants and tops, as they cooled down from the matches for the day. _

_It was pleasantly quiet, the roar from semifinals replaced by a calm, clear night. Inside the building, reporters, teams, and workers remained, but it was much more silent than it would have been during the day. Even the lights were dim under the bright white of the moon and the dazzlingly and unusually clear stars. It was rare to see a glimpse of them this deep into Tokyo, and the lights of the street and gym looked like flickering weak candles in comparison._

_Along the two story gym being used for Nationals, there were a series of what weren't quite balconies, and would be more accurate to be call stairs. Exits for the second story lined the walls, on each side, with wide concrete steps and shiny polished railings. _

_This was where one could find Kise Ryouta the night after Teikou advanced to the finals several days from them. A close match in the beginning, but after an explosively offensive second half for Teikou it wasn't even close, and it was nothing unexpected from the newly crowned Generation of Miracles._

_Yet there was something unusual about that night—and it wasn't entirely bad—that one would have to be a Miracle to understand. It could be most obviously seen in Kise, which was why the blond was perched on the steps to the second story, legs dangling from between the bars as he rested his head on one of them._

_The blond had been surprisingly quiet after their win that night, other than the initial celebratory joy, outrageously calm for him, with only soft—but genuine— smiles given to the photographers before he made his way to the locker room, leaving Teikou's redheaded captain to talk to the reporters._

_Wind that was deliciously cold brushed along Kise's cheeks, pushing at hair, which had only just finished drying from his shower. A heavy and tired, but stratified sounding sigh escaped the blond as he stretched is arms and legs out between the railings, feeling the familiar burn of exertion with the stretch as his ankle and one of his elbows popped._

_The sound of footsteps drew Kise's attention, and the blond turned to greet whoever had come to find him. So he was surprised when the small figure took a seat next to him, crossing his legs and staring blankly—like always—out into the streets, watching lights flicker like energetic fireflies. There's a smile on Kise's visitor's face, one that is almost imperceptible, but Kise notices._

_Lying down with his legs still between the bars, Kise smiles, and, closing his eyes, wonders if he's ever been this content before. He seriously doubts it._

_"Our match next week, it has been decided who we'll play," the first words spoken had Kise nodded, but in reality, he didn't care. Much like the crowd, it didn't matter who the Generation of Miracles was playing, just that they played, which was why the crowd had thinned out so much for the final game of the day, and that the reporters were likely still talking to members of the Teikou team._

_"It was unexpected that Kise-kun slipped away so quickly," the boy continued when Kise didn't respond. Sighing, the blond rolled into a sitting position and leaned his temple against the railings._

_"This is the only time I've ever gotten away! It's unfair that I always have such a hard time avoiding fans," the blond whined, "I'm jealous of how easily you can get away, Kurokocchi!" A pout, smaller than usual but no less playful, curled the blonde's lips lightly._

_The blue haired boy sitting next to Kise flicked him a dispassionate gaze. "I was not implying that Kise-kun was in the wrong, and I do not 'get away' I am merely ignored, so I leave." Kuroko's blue eyes were brighter than normal, Kise noticed, and his face more relaxed. The blond was almost certain that the blue haired boy was playing with him, and that was something that had only recently started happening._

_Recently only because Kise had joined Teikou's team in his second year, after transferring schools to be closer to home and more protected from his modeling fans. Recently because it had taken a while for Generation of Miracles to open up to each other, although it did happen through rather chaotic circumstances, which was to be expected._

_First they'd become a team, and then, every member of the Generation of Miracles learned to lean on each other. Their problems _outside_ of basketball, all the stress that came _with _basketball, they shared them amongst themselves and themselves only. As they'd done this, a burden had lifted off of all of them, and they became more friends than teammates._

_Kise huffed, wrapping his arms around the bar that supported his head. "Kurokocchi is so mean," he sighed, rubbing a hand through his hair as he stared with half-lidded eyes at the retreating teams' that had just finished the final match of the day._

_"Kise-kun is tired," Kuroko observed after a long moment of silence, watching the blond closely._

_"Today was a long day," Kise commented, ignoring and answering Kuroko at the same time. "So many people showed up just to watch us," he murmured in amazement, eyes still closed, "Was it like that at Nationals last year?"_

_The blue haired boy's head tilted thoughtfully, and there was a pause before he spoke. "No, though at the time, I had only played in several games and Haizaki-kun still played. Now that we are playing for our second straight title, and we've earned a reputation, people expect much of us."_

_"Reputation, huh?" Kise repeated, yawning again as his sleepy golden eyes peered up at the stars. "A reputation as the best Middle School team in Japan... I kind of like it, it really is so different…" The blond trailed off, something akin to sad nostalgia in his eyes._

_Silence returned, and the blue haired boy reached over to tug on the collar of Kise's jacket, making the blond tumble back with a yelp as he tried to right himself. "K-kurokocchi, what was that for," the blond gasped, half from surprise and half because Kuroko had choked him when pulling on his jacket._

_"Is Kise-kun happy playing with us?" Kuroko asked bluntly, moving his legs so that they were propped up and the blue haired phantom could wrap his arms around them. "At least, happier than when you first started playing and just wanted a challenge?"_

_Kise blinked at surprise when asked the unexpected question, eyes wide on Kuroko as he lay sprawled on the concrete. Licking his lips, the small forward pushed himself up onto his elbows, frowning a little as he thought._

_The blonde's mouth opened like he wanted to say something, and then he looked away. "I wouldn't want to go back," he mumbled, so quietly that Kuroko couldn't hear him._

_Leaning forward, the blue haired boy blinked. "I'm sorry, Kise-kun, but I didn't hear what you said," Kuroko admitted earnestly. Kise turned away at this for a moment, visibly swallowing, before he turned back to Kuroko, expression thoughtful._

_"I can't imagine going back to the way things were before," the blond murmured. "Not seeing you guys, even Midorimacchi and stupid Aominecchi, just doesn't seem normal, you know? Don't know why, but lately, I'm kind of scared of what happens next."_

_Kuroko blinked once, very slowly, before his lips tilted in an odd display of confusion. "What happens next?" He asked and his attention was even more on Kise than it had been before._

_"You know," Kise whispered quietly, hiding his face behind his arms as he threw them over his head haphazardly. "When we finish at Teikou, what then? Will we stay together? Or are we going to have to… start over or just… go it alone?" Kise's voice was hoarse and muffled by his arms, but Kuroko heard it crack just a little at the end._

_Kise continued solemnly, his voice an unobtrusive murmur. "As soon as that game was over, even though it wasn't the final, those reporters just kept asking questions. Like if we think we'll win next year, and when they asked that, I started thinking about next year, and the year after…" _

_At the words spoken by the usually animated blond, Kuroko's eyes widened just a little, and if it would have been lighter, he would have visibly paled. It took a moment for the blue haired boy to smooth his features over into their normal blank look, but by the time Kise peered up at him tentatively, almost like a nervous child, Kuroko was normal looking._

_"I… believe that we have to stick together," Kuroko said, and Kise watched the blue haired boy closely. "I don't think any of us want to leave the rest of our teammates. No one else would understand… our circumstances, however different they are for each of us."_

_"So you think we'll stick together," Kise concluded, something like a relieved breath escaping his lips as his face relaxed. "I just didn't know… I wasn't sure…"_

_"If everyone else felt the same?"_

_Kise nodded, "Yeah. I mean we all argue so much, especially Aominecchi and Murasakibaracchi since they've been playing so well lately…"_

_"We want to stick together just as much as you Kise-kun. Do not doubt it." _

* * *

The next day passed by normally for those of Seirin, who continued unbothered by any other problems around them. Riko brought in a new training regained, one that switched focus from overall conditioning to intense, constant all-out and quick paced drills that focused on simple skills consistently and strongly. They would not fall behind after a single half ever again; that was what Riko was planning for them.

It was daunting to say the least, and had it been before that match against Kaijou they likely would have complained. Yet they knew that if they truly wanted to compete against anyone of national level, and the Generation of Miracles—who had Kagami restlessly waiting to get started—they'd need this training.

So despite the fact that Kagami had aches that went bone deep after practice that day, he couldn't seem to stop. He ended up returning home, glancing at his pile of homework once in consideration, and then changed his mind, grabbing his basketball and heading to the court near his house.

The redhead was restless, so he attempted to ground himself before playing more basketball, and stops at his favorite Maji Burger to grab a snack—four burgers, a huge meal to most others—before shuffling lazily out the door, basketball tucked comfortably under his arm.

Once again, Kagami is very, very lucky.

By the time he gets to the court near his apartment, the sun had begun painting the sky with an orange so lurid and bright that the rest of the city almost looks like trash, or a hollow shadow. Kagami finds the warmth it gives pleasant, a nice contrast to the dusk breeze that blows across the sidewalks, as if in a hurry to get somewhere.

Sitting on a bench outside the fenced in court, Kagami begins on his last three burgers, having already eaten the first on the walk over. A group of students not from his school were using the court, and the power forward watched quietly as they played.

It was sloppy, uncoordinated, and gangly, but Kagami couldn't help but smile as he watched them. They weren't taking it seriously they were having _fun_, something that seemed to be lacking within Japan's basketball circuit.

As soon as he thought about basketball, Kagami's thoughts drifted to the match, and then, inevitably, back to Kise. The redhead didn't quite get it, the way the seemingly cheerful and charismatic blond just suddenly vanished after the match, face dark as if a storm were brewing behind his eyes, and posture stiff.

After all, it was just basketball.

Sighing, Kagami waded up the wrappers from his meals and carelessly threw them up as if he were shooting a basketball, wrist flipping fluidly. The wrapper bounced once off the edge and then tipped demurely out of view, out of sight in a second. Kagami grinned, picking up his actual basketball and rolling it around in his palms.

He started toward the court, excitement humming through his veins that always came from holding a basketball. As his feet touched the blacktop though, he paused, brow furrowing at the sight before him, and his excitement fizzled out into something displeased.

"You lost. Get out," a boy, one dressed in a uniform unfamiliar to Kagami and different than earlier group snarled at another of the boys. The brunette being spoken to was familiar looking, and sprawled on the ground as he looked up in fearful disbelief.

"That wasn't three on three," the boy on the ground shouted as he pushed himself up, his friends hesitantly coming forward to help him. The group looked pitifully small in comparison to the five larger boys surrounding them, and their hunched shoulders and nervous expressions didn't help.

The leader of the larger group, and the one who had spoken before shrugged his shoulders and shook his head as he released a heavy sigh. "Did I ever _say_ that we were going to play three on three?"

The group of three boys gaped at him, mouths opening, eyes widening, but no words ever coming out. At this point, Kagami was only several seconds from raging through the court, jaw clenching when the leader kicked at the downed boy's feet lazily.

"We won," the dark haired leader repeated, and his grin was disgustingly sharp. "Leave before we make you." As if to amplify his warning, a leg was pulled back, ready to strike out more ruthlessly than before.

The small group scrambled obliviously, boy on the ground hurrying to get up despite the fact that the foot was already speeding toward his exposed torso. Shouts rang out, and a basketball bounced merrily in the background breaking the otherwise eerie silence on the court.

* * *

_Among the basketball community in Japan, there is one team that is known above all others. The Generation of Miracles was Teikou's crowning achievement, because among their club of over one hundred members, these five are unrivalled._

_The three years they attended Teikou Middle School, they were undefeated, earning an unprecedented and unchallenged three National titles. There was no question among the other middle school teams that they were king._

_For the longest time though, those who hadn't witnessed the games heard quiet rumors of a sixth man, aptly labeled the Phantom Player. In the publicity surrounding the Miracles, there were only ever five players spoken of, and so, the legend of the sixth man continued. _

_People expected him to make an appearance when other Miracles' announced their intentions for high school, many waited with baited breath to see if another would emerge from Teikou, and out of the shadow cast by the other five miracles._

_But no such things happened, and the rumors of the Phantom Sixth Man died, left buried within the depths of Teikou's dark history, and the even darker pasts of the Miracles. _

* * *

Kise really hadn't expected his day to go like this. His photo-shoot had been uneventful, his photographer a little pushy and his stylist for the day was also a bit… forceful. It wasn't odd though, especially considering the stylist had been a young woman who'd only been working full time in the business for a few months and she'd seemed to adore Kise.

It still left Kise irritated.

He'd skipped practice again, and while he could feel the phone vibrating in his pocket, he knew that Kasamatsu wouldn't really worry until after he was a hundred percent sure that Kise was done with his work. Kaijou's captain might be loud, but he was by no means going to invade Kise's privacy, and that was part of what Kise liked about Kasamatsu.

It was nice, to be left alone when asked to be. No one else seemed to do that… well, besides the obvious.

Kise was also agitated because of the day before, Midorima's words lingering in his head as he made his way to the station to catch a train home. Hopefully thoughts of the past—_Kuroko, his fault, their fault, Kuroko_—would flee from his head before he made it there.

Because when he arrived his mother would pester him, and his sister would watch him, so consistently and nerve rackingly—

Pushy.

Kise really hated pushy people, however much he seemed to portray himself as one. The blond knew when to quit though, so it was why he was suddenly feeling conflicted.

After all, such things happen when you meet the gaze of a ghost.

It took several seconds for Kise to realize what was happening, but his body had responded before his mind. He'd first stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, so violently pausing that his body swayed, hair obscuring his vision for a moment.

When the bright strands righted themselves, brushing teasingly along his forehead, Kise released a shaky breath. His eyes were locked on the figure seated quietly on the bench facing a basketball court, eyes locked on something Kise didn't bother to look at. If he blinked, this apparition might disappear.

Pale blue hair, unusual, but dull and almost white in the dusk shadows blended with familiar pale skin. A black uniform Kise remembered spotting several times on his impromptu trip to Seirin, blended perfectly with the shadows, and Kise feared that even as he watched, this person before him might disappear.

Kise wondered how he'd caught him in the first place.

It was almost in slow motion, those slim moments before time began again and that head turned back to blink up at him with familiar, blank, bright blue eyes. Kise's breath caught, and he swallowed involuntarily, reaching a hand out as his body moved for him again, mind consumed by old thoughts.

_"_He's _my teacher? You've got to be kidding me!"_

_"Whoa, amazing Kurokocchi!"_

_ "Don't worry about it, I'm fine."_

_"Hey, wait, Kuroko… what are you—Don't—!"_

They were little things, adding up to a very mixed emotion feeling, but Kise found himself feeling rather hollow, mind blanking out as he simply stared in disbelief.

The ever knowing gaze of Kuroko Tetsuya was on him, and Kise looked back, for he was unable to look away. Just as unreadable as ever, there was something painfully empty about Kuroko's eyes, and the indifference of his expression.

"Kise-kun is surprisingly quiet," Kuroko said, turning to go back to watching what was happening on the court as if he still saw the blond model every day. Kise stared in shock, the numb feeling from earlier being replaced by burning desperation and guilt.

"Kuro-Kurokocchi," Kise stuttered, words inaudible as the blond stumbled forward, unusually graceless in his steps. By the time he'd gotten to the bench, Kuroko's was watching whatever interested him, ignoring Kise completely. The unusual coldness had Kise flinching.

Unable to help himself, Kise reached out, and laid a hand on Kuroko's shoulder, hesitant at first. Then, when noise again came from the court, his grip tightened on Kuroko's uniform, as if surprised that others were near them. The blond felt his former teammates—again a flinch—gaze study him, but Kise was already looking toward the court, shoulders hunched defensively.

Shadows stretched like heavy lines between the court and the bench on the outside, the pattern of chain linked fences stretching across those on the court and obscuring them. Kise and Kuroko were in the light, the fading, dying warmth of the sunset hanging around their faces and illuminating them.

Kise had never wished to be in the shadows before, but in that moment he did.

In the background, on the opposite exit of the court, a huddled group was leaving, and was merely a mess of dark, meaningless silhouettes in the background. They were flickering movement that accented what was left on the court.

Four were left, one on the ground, being helped up by two smaller boys, all dressed in similar uniforms and gray shadows, the in between of the scene before Kise.

The reason for Kise's unease, as if a shadow was hovering over his back, curious and uncaring of consequences, was answered when Kise met the eyes of the last person. Brightest of the group, tallest of the group, and the only one looking toward Kise and Kuroko, a pair of red eyes studied them, confused and curious.

The tanned face of Kagami Taiga registered in Kise's mind, and a flutter of panic blocked off the blonde's throat, leaving him unable to respond as cold, nimble fingers pried Kise's hands off of Kuroko. Kise's head swiveled, watching as Kuroko paused, still holding Kise's wrist, before letting his dispassionate gaze meet Kise's.

"Kise-kun is still being selfish."

On reflex, Kise pulled back his hands at the words, ice spreading through his veins, starting where Kuroko had pried his desperate hand off the blue haired boy's uniform. Kuroko rose to his feet, pulling a bag over his shoulder and ignoring Kise's pleading look.

Gold eyes flicked over to Kagami, who was looking at Kuroko in bewilderment, obviously taking in the familiar uniform and unfamiliar face. Red eyes then flicked to Kise, who turned away almost immediately.

When they both turned back, Kuroko was gone, and Kagami's sputtering was loud enough to reach Kise and startle the boys on the court with the tall redhead. Kise was not surprised, but disappointed.

Kise turned away, steps quick and in time with the rapid beating of his heat. He turned the corner quickly, breaking out into a job as he tried so very hard to leave his thoughts back at that court. It didn't work.

So Kise ignored it. He ignored his thoughts, the phone vibrating once again in his pocket, the way his clenched fists were making his nails dig into his palms, and the way he was subconsciously taking deep breaths and counting to ten.

After all, old habits die hard, and Kise didn't feel like trying to stop himself.

"Sorry, Kuroko."

* * *

Kasamatsu was planning on giving up and heading home, but his natural overprotective nature—due to the fact that he had a younger brother and sister—and the call he'd received form Kise's older sister stopped him.

He'd stayed late from practice that day, and had been at the bus stop when he'd gotten the call from the panicking girl. Despite his tendency for nervous habits around girls, the familiarity of the voice and the panic in it had him easily overcoming his anxieties. Knowing the idiot—quite obviously Kise—had skipped practice for modeling work several time before and made it back easily before nightfall, Kasamatsu had only called out of obligation and his coach's nagging.

So when he'd learned that at ten that day Kise had still yet to call _or _return, Kasamatsu felt just a hint of unease, especially with the blonde's recently erratic behavior. So he'd missed his bus, and redialed Kise for the fifth time that day.

To his surprise, the blond picked up, but only after Kasamatsu had come close hanging up. There was a moment of silence, and Kasamatsu became increasingly worried as the blond didn't immediately answer in his annoyingly bubbly way.

"Hello?" A familiar voice said, but the tone was so foreign that Kasamatsu paused, thinking for a moment that he'd dialed the wrong number, but he shook himself when the voice continued. "Kasamatsu-senpai? Is that you?"

"Y-yeah," the captain of Kaijou swallowed, shaking off his surprise as he answered. "Are you headed back to Kanagawa yet?" If the blond was, then all of Kasamatsu's were misplaced, after all, Kise could of just had to avoid a large and persistent group of fans all day.

"Hm?" Kise mumbled, as if surprised at the question. "No, haven't made it to the train yet." In the background, there was little noise other than calm breathing and quiet steps. It didn't sound as if Kise had been doing anything before Kasamatsu had called.

Kasamatsu blinked in surprise, and paused. "Kise… are you… alright?" The inquiry was hesitant, because after all, Kise was the enthusiastic, annoying, overconfident player from the Generation of Miracles. Kise was always fine.

Biting his lips, Kasamatsu's heavy brow furrowed when his question wasn't answered immediately. There was seriously something off with Kise, and Kasamatsu really was unsure of what to expect.

"Hm?" Kise repeated, and a loud noise echoed over the phone, as if someone was shouting. Kasamatsu frowned. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Yet even as the blond spoke, the noise in the background grew louder, the sounds of scuffling were heard, and, loudest, but least passionately of all, Kise cursed under his breath.

"Shit—" The phone cut off, beeping to signal the call had been disconnected. Slowly pulling the phone away from his ear to stare at the blank screen, the gray eyed boy blinked several times. "Ki…se…?"

As then next bus began to slow, coming closer and closer to the stop to pick up the only one there, Kasamatsu, the dark haired boy sprang into action, unthinkingly shoving his phone in his bag and hoisting it more securely over his shoulder and taking off at a dead sprint down the street. He ignored the looks on the faces of those on the bus, and continued to head toward the train station.

_Dammit Kise, what the hell did you get yourself into this time?_

The thought was panicked, and filled with more fear than Kasamatsu had felt in a long time. His heart thundered in his chest as he ran, and, without thinking, he grabbed his phone and redialed Kise's number, still running through the quiet streets.

_Sorry, the number you've dialed is no longer in use. Please—_

"Shit." Kasamatsu threw his phone into his pocket this time, ignoring the looks he got as he sprinted. All he could think about was the tone of Kise's voice, and the look the blond had had on his face after the game the day before.


	4. Chapter 4: Empty Presence

**A/N: **Uhhh…. This was supposed to be posted two weeks ago… not quite sure what happened, but I apologize for the wait. Seriously, this was almost done the day I last posted and then it just sat there.

Oh, and thank you guys for your continued support! I really appreciate it!

* * *

**Chapter Four**

**_Empty Presence_**

* * *

"_Kise!"_

Somewhere in the distance, a familiar voice shouted his name, and it snapped Kise out of his stupor. Glancing up from where he'd been staring at the dank alley concrete, he blinked into awareness, feeling cold rain run down his face. He shivered once.

"Damn it Kise, where are you?"

Again, that painfully familiar voice called out for him from somewhere nearby, and Kise's head turned, staring out into the bright, nighttime lights of the Tokyo district. This time, he blinked not to clear his thoughts, but to get the rain out of his eyes.

It took a moment for Kise to think through the numbness that he felt, but when a dark figure burst by, calling so loud that the blond flinched, he seemed to become aware of the situation. He knew that voice.

"Kise!"

He had to clear his throat, and luckily, the person had stopped not too far away, panting louder than the rain that washed over the city. It was cold rain though, something unusual for earlier summer, but refreshing and distracting none the less.

"Kasamatsu-senpai," Kise eventually said, voice hoarse, but loud, and the words rattled painfully in his throat. He swallowed once, frowning at the pain it caused. Yet his words had garnered the response he was looking for.

There was a sharp breath that cut through a moment's silence, and then a panicked voice called out again. "Kise, where are you?"

The plain panic, concern, and hope in the words had Kise leaning his head back against the brick behind him and smiling lightly. Closing his eyes, he licked his lips, tasting cold clean rain on his tongue. "Here," he responded, though it was quite difficult for him to manage that one word.

The sound of sneakers squeaking as they spun on the wet concrete could be heard, and then several pounding and splashing footsteps resounded. That dark figure came into view again, sliding to a stop and sending a wave of disrupted water to fly across the sidewalk. Lights from cars and streetlamps illuminated the silhouette around the figure, and Kise had the sudden image of a guardian angle on his mind.

Though, even during the current circumstances, Kasamatsu would likely bang his head against the wall if he said such things. At that point though, Kise might welcome some sort of familiar, predictable reaction. It would be comforting, like a stuffed animal to a child in the dark.

The captain of Kaijou took a step forward, reaching out in disbelief. "Kise?" He murmured quietly, seeming to be shell shocked at the blond, sprawled out in a back alley. They stared at each other for a moment, and it seemed that the world moved around them, rain crashing down, cars whizzing by, as they stood in silence.

That is, until Kise managed to pull his split lips into a soft smile, which seemed to snap Kasamatsu out of his reveries and into action. "What the hell happened to you?" The normally loud and confident third-year murmured, seeming almost lost for words.

"Got caught by two guys when I was walking to the train, and they pulled me into this alley," mumbled the sleepy blond, who could barely muster his voice long enough to inform his senior of what had happened to him that night. Despite how quiet he was, he knew Kasamatsu could hear him, for even in the dim light, the boy's face paled to an unhealthy shade that almost glowed.

The dark haired point guard rushed forward, and, from then on out, everything else was a blur to Kise.

He remembered watching silently, in a deliberating sort of way, as Kasamatsu kneeled by his side, soaked to the bone, just like Kise. He remembered that the examined his split lip and pushed at the blonde's bruised sides when he admitted that he'd been kicked a couple times in the ribs.

Eventually, the shorter boy managed to pull Kise to his feet, slinging his arm around the blonde's waist and hoisting Kise's arm over his shoulder, it took them a minute to get situated, but when they did Kasamatsu began moving. The walk to the train station was unbearably slow, and, about halfway there, Kise told Kasamatsu that he'd lost his wallet in the skirmish and that the muggers' might have taken it.

Frowning, the captain for Kaijou shook it off and paid for the blonde's ticket, watching him closely as they boarded the train. They spent the ride in silence, as Kasamatsu likely didn't know what to say, and Kise really didn't have anything he _could _say.

After all, he couldn't say that his wallet was actually in his back pocket, hidden by his crumpled and un-tucked shirt. He also couldn't bring himself to mention that he hadn't been pulled into the alley, and that, the two that were supposed muggers were likely still unconscious behind the dumpsters in the very same alley that Kise had been resting in.

They were really things Kise didn't want to talk about, so he bit his tongue, and let his captain believe him to be the victim. It was easier that way, even if it wasn't always true nowadays.

* * *

"You're an idiot," Riko mumbled, rubbing at her forehead as she set her other hand on her hip. She radiated unadulterated exasperation and irritation, and, in return, Kagami felt similar. After all, he hadn't wanted to practice that day just to be nagged at. "We just had a match, so what reason do you have for not sleeping?"

At the girl's nagging, the tired redhead waved a hand as if trying to dismiss a troublesome bug. He didn't seem to notice as the rest of the team flinched and took small, cautious steps away. "Was busy," he mumbled through yawn, covering his wide open mouth with a hand. When he was finished, he rubbed at his eyes. "Went to a court after practice yesterday."

Riko's eyes narrowed in outrage, and she took a step forward. "Didn't I tell you _not_ to go do something stupid, _Bakagami_?" The brunette looked dangerously close to hitting the redhead over the head with her clipboard until he really couldn't practice.

"I wasn't going to do anything but shoot for a few minutes," the first-year retorted, sliding his hands into the pockets of his uniform. He was the only one how had yet to change, since he'd arrived late after falling asleep in his last class of the day, and it was the reason Riko had singled him out so quickly.

There was no reply from Seirin's devil coach, but everyone else proceeded to start warm-ups without the idiot power forward, as they realized he was digging his own grave. It was apparent that he was attempting to do it with a backhoe too.

"Ended up stopping a fight between some kids from two different schools," he redhead continued obliviously, yawning again. He'd slept through most of his classes, and the little time he was awake his thoughts were on the boy he'd seen the Kise Ryouta.

He was a boy wearing a uniform from Seirin High School, and someone Kagami had never seen before.

While Kagami wasn't the smartest out of the group of basketball players, he had some of the best instincts, and, because of this, would realize the oddities even if he wasn't entirely sure what the situation or problem was. It was like seeing a math problem, and knowing that there were twos involved but not knowing that you were adding them and the answer was four.

So, in reality, Kagami was pretty much clueless.

Riko—during the period where Kagami was thinking about that unfamiliar boy, and… well, nothing else—was staring up at him with a mix of exasperation and odd fondness that had her seconds from bursting into incredulous laughter. It was quite comical to the rest of Seirin as well, who couldn't seem to picture their power forward doing anything _helpful_.

Silence ensued, with Kagami having nothing else to say, Riko not knowing _what _to say, and the rest of the team staring and trying to appear busy.

"Um, excuse me."

The sound of the door closing echoed through the gym, while a voice came from right behind Kagami. The tone of the voice was robotic, quiet, and entirely unfamiliar to every member of Seirin's basketball team.

So, like any man would do when he is scared senseless by a sudden voice quite literally right behind him, Kagami screamed. In a manly way of course, which is to say, he yelped like a frightened girl, nearly falling in surprise when he looked over his shoulder to see a pair of blank blue eyes.

Riko was making a face similar to morbid, terrified fascination, her hands raised as if she was warding off the visitor, while the rest of Seirin jumped higher than they ever would manage to in a game. All were staring at the newcomer with looks of trepidation and fear in their eyes.

It was quite amazing, since the boy was almost as short as Riko, and even more fragile looking.

There was a long second of uncomfortable silence, in which the only noise was coming from Kagami, who seemed to be recovering from an intense panic attack. He was clutching at his shirt in disbelief, breathing harder than he ever had in his life.

"What the hell?" He wheezed, leaning down to look the boy in the eye. His furious, rather disturbed glare was received and brushed off with a blank face that was smooth to the point of robotic. The blue haired boy before him blinked once.

Kagami's anger and shock rolled over the short boy's head, and heavy silence followed, until Riko regained her composure and stepped forward. "I'm sorry," she began, seeming both uncertain and flustered at the unexpected appearance. "This gym is scheduled for use by the basketball club at this time," she informed the visitor, pointing over her shoulder to where the curious group of Seirin players had gathered.

"Ah, I am aware of that fact. Sorry for intruding," the blue haired boy—something curiously unusual—apologized in a rather blank monotone. He bowed slightly to the brunette, and this just seemed to confuse her further, and then turned to the redhead. "I came to inquire as to how Kagami-san was doing."

Everyone looked at Kagami, and he broke eye contact with the odd Seirin student to whirl on them like an anxious cat. "I don't know who he is!" He hissed in defense, brows furrowed and expression still twisted up.

"He knows you!" Koganei piped up, stepping out from where he'd been cowering behind Mitobe earlier to look up in puzzlement at the power forward. "I haven't ever seen him, so he must be one of the first-years!"

"Well, he's not in my class!" Kagami retorted stubbornly, folding his arms rather like a petulant child as he stared down at the second-year. A rather large, whiny child, but the Koganei merely raised his brows at the flustered redhead.

"Yes, I am in Kagami-san's class," the blue haired boy inserted forcefully, and Kagami glanced down, only to see the stranger right next to him, though he'd been a good three steps away a second before. Jumping once again, Kagami stared in disbelief.

Once they recovered from there similar, but much less potent shocks, the reset of Seirin snorted under their breath, and Hyuga muttered under his about disrespectful underclassmen.

"You are not in my class!" The redhead eventually shouted, though it was more of a wheeze because he still had trouble breathing. He was bent at the waist, hands perched on his knees, and staring at the weird boy who was now at eye level with him.

Again, there was no expression on the others rather androgynous pale face. In fact, he didn't even blink as he stared at Kagami with was seemed like some sort of disappointment in his gaze. "I sit behind Kagami-san every day," the blue eyed boy informed the redhead curtly, seeming irritated.

"You sit… behind me?" Kagami repeated, as if the boy had spoken in a different language. Confusion wrinkled the taller boy's face, and then he responded. "No one sits behind me."

"I have sat behind Kagami-san all year," the blue haired youth said immediately, eyes seeming to grow another shade darker in a way that was almost dangerous looking. Up close, it was even worse, and Kagami balked slightly, seeming taken back.

"Wait!" Koganei interjected suddenly, hurrying forward with an odd scramble to stand before the two that were the main subject of the unusual conversation. He gripped the blue haired boy by the shoulders, jostling the fragile boy rather hard, and looked at him excitedly. "If you sit behind Kagami that means… you're the phantom from class 1-B!"

Everyone looked at Koganei for a moment, blinking, before eyes widened and turned back to stare at the blue haired boy who was just as blank as he'd been a moment before. He looked around at everyone staring at him, and, after a long second of anticipation, he spoke. "I am not a ghost."

No one really knew how to respond, but, almost as an afterthought, the blue haired boy raised a finger. "I do sit behind Kagami-san though."

Koganei frowned, seeming both fascinated and confused, as if Kuroko was a rather interesting puzzle that he couldn't quite figure out or rap his head around. Everyone else just seemed rather miffed at the idea that Kuroko existed and no one, even Kagami, knew who he was.

"_Bakagami_ must be more stupid than we first thought," Riko muttered under her breath, looking on in disbelief and exasperation at the tired power forward that was the most confused of the bunch. Frowning sharply, the redhead snorted.

"It actually is not that usual for people to overlook me," Kuroko informed them, solemn, blank face adding to his serious comment. They all blinked in rather horrified disbelief at the first-year's comment, and he added, "The teacher never seems to think I am at school. Roll call in the mornings is usually very tedious."

Silence followed the blue haired boy's words, and Hyuga blinked. "That's…a bit depressing," he muttered, not really knowing how to respond to the anomaly in their gym. Rubbing at the back of his head, he raised a brow.

"Well," Izuki murmured thoughtfully, face as blank as always, "with a giant like Kagami sitting in front of him, and Kuroko-san being so short, it's no wonder he was _overlooked_."

"That was horrible," Hyuga deadpanned, and Mitobe nodded slightly as if agreeing, while the first-years' all looked as if they didn't get it. Riko was rubbing at the bridge of her nose again, inhaling quietly as if she was counting internally when Izuki shrugged and looked as if he were thinking of alternative pun ideas.

The brunette shook her head, "Ridiculous." She looked up, lips pursing as she watched the blue haired boy stare dispassionately at the Seirin team, not seeming perturbed by their… uniqueness at all. Head tilting to the side curiously. "Anyway, is there something you need, Kuroko-san?"

Turning to look at her, Kuroko shrugged, pointing slightly in Kagami's direction. "I was at the court near the Maji Burger yesterday," he informed her. "Kagami-san was there, and I was just wondering if his leg was alright after he broke up the fight that was about to happen."

Again, silence. It seemed that all of them were shocked at everything the blue haired boy said, or maybe it was just his oddness in itself that was unusual to them, which was saying something.

"So, he actually _was_ helping someone?" Hyuga asked, brow rising higher as he looked pleasantly surprised. Everyone else looked to be having a similar reaction, despite the fact that they knew Riko punished excuses heavily.

Riko, on the other hand, looked past that initial surprise to the other thing that the stranger had said, turning on Kagami quicker than anyone thought she could move. "What happened to your leg?" She demanded, frowning at them as if she was trying to analyze him through the thick fabric of his uniform pants.

Frowning, Kagami shot a displeased gaze toward Kuroko, who gazed evenly back at him. "It's nothing. Got kicked in the shin saving a kid these guys knocked down." He avoided Riko's gaze though, and her brown eyes sharpened in a deadly sort of way.

"Kagami-kun." She snapped, and everyone flinched, recognizing the _if-your-lying-to-me-I'll-kill-you-and-triple-your- workout _sort of look that she adopted about three times every practice. Usually brought on by Kagami, but terrifying for everyone else either way.

"Tch," he grunted, face twisting into a reluctant almost pout that looked more irritated than anything. He leaned over, still glaring at Kuroko, as he pulled up the leg of his pants, revealing a rather odd shaped, black and blue lump on his shin.

Riko crouched down, looking at it for a moment, and, smirking as if she knew what reaction she'd get, she reached out and poked at the swollen bruise. Hard.

Kagami shouted, fumbling back on one leg as he brought his knee up to his chest, hissing in pain. Riko stood up, setting her hands on her hips and shaking her head ruefully.

"That's some kick that boy must have had," she mumbled, raising a brow at Kagami. "You're fine as long as you don't go and do something stupid. It just aches, right?" She asked her question as if she already knew the answer, and nodded expectantly when Kagami mumbled in agreement. "You probably did the right thing breaking up that fight, but don't go around recklessly." She muttered.

Seirin looked on in disbelief at how easy the redhead seemed to be getting it, despite the fact that he was still balancing precariously on one leg as he stared hopefully at Riko, who smiled amiably.

"Training menu, doubled," she sang lightly, turning as the horrified Kagami tumbled to the floor, his teammates wincing empathetically as they watched him lament over the worked he'd have to do.

"I apologize for my intrusion," Kuroko cut in, staring at Kagami with a rather curious and fascinated glint to his eyes, as if watching an amusing child or animal. "I just felt the need to check on Kagami-san, and my attempts to do so during class today went unheard."

Kagami lifted his head from the floor, staring at the blue haired boy as if he'd just had an epiphany. "That was _you_ poking at my shoulder today?" He asked, shivering a bit. "I could have sworn there was a ghost or something bothering me."

Kuroko looked at the redhead with a deadpan air, blank blue eyes staring at the power forward with an unreadable expression. "It did not help that Kagami-san was half asleep throughout classes today."

"Ignored by his teacher and classmates," Koganei mumbled, shaking his head. "It's kind of impressive if you think about it. And a little bit sad." Mitobe nodded in agreement, while Furihata mumbled some rather fearful and awe filled reply.

"I will be leaving now," Kuroko murmured, turning on his heel and heading toward the door, school bag bouncing quietly against his hip. Kagami stared after him for a moment, and then his eyes lit up, and he was scrambling from the floor.

"I forgot to ask!" He called out, and blue haired boy paused, half turning to look at the redhead patiently. "What _were _you doing there at the courts yesterday?"

"I don't see how that has to do with anything, Kagami," Hyuga muttered disdainfully from the side, pushing up his glasses and giving the boy a rather tired look. Riko looked like she wanted to hit him upside the head with her clipboard, and Mitobe was watching rather closely, something close to curiousity on his calm features.

"It does when I saw him there with Kise Ryouta," Kagami snapped back automatically drawing forth unsure and surprised stares. Everyone turned to Kuroko, who was currently standing at the door with his hand on the handle as if he was attempting to slip away unnoticed. For once, it didn't work.

"You know Kise Ryouta?" Riko asked, voice filled to the brim with curiosity. Kuroko's head tilted to the side, and the expression on his face was almost cold.

"Ah, yes, I am acquainted with Kise-kun," the blue haired boy answered, hand slipping off the door handle reluctantly as he politely turned back to face the group. "We were classmates at Teikou together, and he was quite popular then. It is hard not to notice him."

Everyone seemed satisfied with the rather uneventful answer, if a little disappointed, but Kagami shook his head, stubbornly persisting. "The conversation didn't look like too old classmates meeting up," he retorted, crossing his arms seriously. "Besides, you were probably an invisible weirdo then too."

The blunt, rude comment earned a rather irate glance from Riko, and a peeved one from Hyuga. The one the comment was addressed to however, seemed both exasperated and slightly amused, even if there really wasn't any change to his countenance.

"I was involved with Kise-kun and the basketball team back in Teikou," Kuroko informed them, before raising a hand in a polite goodbye and leaving quietly, silence following in his wake, only to be shattered by the rather out of place clicking of the door.

They all blinked, and, finally, Riko broke the silence.

"Along with your tripled training"—_tripled?!—_"I have a job for you Kagami-kun," Riko watched the door even as it sat unmoving and devoid of anymore outside presences. They all looked at her warily, especially when she continued. "This goes for the rest of you as well," she decided, nodding to herself as if she had come up with a brilliant idea.

"While we get ready for Inter High," she decided, smiling wickedly and putting her dreaded pink whistle between her lips. "I am putting into place a new goal for Seirin!"

Hyuga looked as if he was nursing a bad headache, and Kagami was still mumbling about his training schedule, too quiet for Riko to hear in her state of extreme focus. As it was, she was currently staring thoughtfully at the door, her impish expression melting into a serious one.

"Though, I feel as if I'm forgetting something," she mumbled, before shaking her head and turning to face the basketball players. "Anyway, for the next few weeks, I'd like you to find out more about the enigma of Teikou Middle School! Kuroko Tetsuya!"

"You said you saw him at the court near your house right?" Hyuga turned to Kagami.

"Yeah," Kagami replied, "He was off to the side talking to Kise while I was dealing with that group of jerks picking those kids." Pausing to think, Kagami didn't seem to realize that Hyuga had said something to him.

"Pay attention!" snapped the annoyed second-year, frowning intensely. "I asked if you could just talk to Kise about it so we could avoid stalking a kid we don't even know!" Everyone else seemed to realize the implications of what Riko had asked them to do, and turned to look at their coach, who shrugged as if she didn't really care what they did or how they did it.

Kagami frowned again, unusually thoughtful and serious, before voicing his opinion. "I'm not sure if they're on good terms. From what I saw from across the court, they almost looked like they were arguing. Kise ended up running away at the end when I was finishing up helping those guys, and the guy looked like he was about to be sick."

All of Seirin frowned again, but Riko drew them out of the discussion and started practice again, claiming that _either way, Kuroko Tetsuya wouldn't be an enigma for long._

Oddly enough, they were right, but Seirin was unaware of how they would get drawn into the blue haired boy's business, let alone the repercussions it would have for everyone.


End file.
